Dragon's Family
by Germanhowl
Summary: Months have passed since Eren and Levi saved the kingdom and now the two dragons welcome five new additions into their lives. During this time however, Levi is tortured by vivid nightmares from his past and he dreads that it might become a reality in the future. He wants nothing more to protect his new family but will he be able to as a new threat arrives?
1. Sleepless Nights

The sound of thunder boomed as lighting flashed overhead. Levi whipped his head around as raindrops pelleted his scaly hide. He caught in the wicked storm as the harsh winds whipped him around. He was stunned as a bolt of lightning flashed right in front of his face.

"Levi... Levi..."

The dark dragon's ears pricked up when he heard Eren's voice echo in the storm, calling his name.

"Eren!" Levi roared out into the wild storm.

He desperately looked around for his mate until a sudden pain shot up his side. The scent of blood filled his nose when his unknown attacker struck again. He winced in pain and his eyes went wide when he met a familiar pair of swampy green eyes.

Levi awoke from his nightmare panting heavily. His wild metallic grey gaze flickered around the dark cave before fixing on Eren. The brown dragon had been given permission to stay with him a few months ago after they helped save the kingdom from three dragon threats.

The two had been rather busy those months... Levi had finally claimed Eren as his mate which resulted in a shocking discovery... eggs.

Levi looked over at the five small round colorful eggs that Eren's tail was wrapped around. He cracked a small smile and blew a puff of smoke onto the cluster before slipping out of the nest. His joints cracked as he walked out into the open.

The moon still hung in the night sky and the crickets continued to chirp from within the forest. Levi's eyes were still heavy with sleep, having not had a good night's rest in days. He slumped down in the grass as he listened to the babbling brook.

"Levi...?"

The dark dragon's ears pricked up when he heard the sound of Eren's voice. He looked behind him to see the brown dragon walking towards him.

"I didn't mean to wake up..." Levi started.

"It's fine..." Eren replied.

"You should be inside watching over the eggs..." Levi snorted as he faced Eren.

"I think you having these nightmares are the important thing now..." Eren said, rolling his eyes. Ever since they had found out about the eggs, Levi had grown rather protective of the brown dragon.

Levi snorted in reply as he rested his head back on the grass and rolled his eyes.

"This is the fourth night in a row you've been woken up by some nightmare... You barely sleep enough as it is..." Eren said as he nudged the older dragon's snout with his own, "Maybe you should talk to Hanji about tomorrow... or Erwin..."

"No. I'm not leaving you here alone." Levi replied rather quickly.

"I can take care of myself...!" Eren retorted as his tail lashed about behind him. Instincts or not... he was getting a bit tired of Levi's overprotectiveness... but he knew the older dragon was very stubborn.

"Please... come back to bed at least..." Eren muttered before turning around to head back into the cave.

He watched as Levi pulled himself to his feet and followed after him.

Eren let out a tired yawn as he laid back down in the nest and curled up against the cluster of eggs, his tail involuntarily wrapping around them as he did. He watched Levi laid down right next to him and rested his head on the dark dragon's hind legs.

Levi snorted ever so slightly and rolled his eyes when Eren did so. He rested his head on the brown dragon's flank as his tail curled up against the other's.

"Night Levi..." Eren managed to say as he yawned again.

"Night Eren..." Levi replied rather quietly as he heard the sound of soft snoring below him.

Levi let out a deep sigh as he remained wide awake, alone with his thoughts. He looked down at the group of eggs and cracked a small smile at the mere thoughts of them hatching soon.

Daylight cracked into the cave entrance a few hours later as Eren woke up, only to find Levi not at his side. He let out a deep sigh before glancing over at the cluster of eggs, which were moving more and more each day.

"Your father can be so stubborn sometimes... just a fair warning..." He muttered as he gently nudged the pile and blew a puff of smoke on it.

"Don't make me sound like the bad guy before they even hatch, Eren..."

The brown dragon blinked in surprise and whipped his head around to see Levi standing at the entrance with a dead deer in his jaws.

"I wasn't... I was just telling them the truth." Eren retorted as he went to stand up.

He let out a small growl when Levi nudged him back down and placed the fresh kill at his feet. Being spoiled didn't bothering much at first but now he felt kind of guilty. He hated seeing Levi do all the work as he just laid around... even if the older dragon was making him.

"You _should_ go talk to Hanji... while it's still early." Eren muttered, rolling his eyes a bit, "After you eat of course."

"Yes sir mom." Levi teased with a slight chuckle in his voice.

Eren snorted at the dark colored dragon. He was glad Levi could still act like his regular self after four days without sleep but he still worried for him. He made the older dragon leave almost immediately after they had finished eating.

After some bickering, Levi finally left the cave and headed to Hanji's. He shifted into his human state after months of remaining in his dragon form. He left his navy blue cloak back home with Eren and let the warm spring air caress him as he walked.

"Hey short scales!"

Levi's eyebrow twitched when he heard the sound of Hanji's voice as he drew closer to the cottage.

"Hello Hanji..." he said with a slight sigh.

"What brings you here?" She asked.

"Nothing..."

"Eren sent you, didn't he?"

"Maybe..."

Hanji let out a small giggle as she walked over to greet her friend. Levi swiftly dodged her when she attempted to snake an arm around his shoulder. He pressed his back up against a tree and folded his arms across his chest as he looked at Hanji.

"And what _do_ the two expecting parents need?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well... I've been having this dream... nightmare really... about me getting caught in this wicked storm...I can hear Eren's voice calling for me and then...out of nowhere this dark black dragon with swampy green eyes attacks me... I wake up just before he kills me though..." Levi explained as he lowered his head.

"Well then..." Hanji started as she placed a finger on her chin, "It's probably just pre-parent jitters... Or maybe your dream is trying to tell you something..."

"Tell me something?" Levi asked, raising an eyebrow at the witch, "Like what?"

"Beats me! But if it is... I'd be careful..." Hanji said with a small shrug.

Levi opened his mouth to reply but no words came out when a loud familiar roar cut him off. His narrow metallic grey eyes went wide and glanced over in the direction of his home.

"Eren."

It was then that it sudden clicked into his head on what was probably happening.


	2. New Additions

"Come on daddy dragon! Dontcha wanna see your babies hatch?" Hanji said as she pulled Levi along.

It only took the older dragon a second before he shifted back into his true form and bounded through the forest back home, leaving Hanji in the dust.

"It figures... the one day Eren forced me out to socialize with friends they hatch..." Levi muttered to himself as he saw his cave in the nearby distances.

He panted heavily as his talons clicked against the cave floor, his eyes locked on Eren as he stepped in.

"I'm here..." Levi panted as he made his way to where the brown dragon laid, curled up in the nest.

He let a small cat-like purr escape his throat as Eren rubbed his head against his chin. He rubbed the younger's head back in affection as his eyes locked on the cluster of eggs. Butterflies started to swarm in his stomach as he watched a little crack appear on the shell of one of the eggs, followed by another and another.

Levi tried to fix his eyes on the other three eggs as multiple cracks appeared on them. His entire body froze with a mix of shock and excitement as pieces of egg shell landed on the floor of the nest. He cracked a smile when he heard the mix of tiny roars and chirping coming from the openings.

Eren couldn't help himself as he leaned his head towards the cluster and nudged one of the eggs gently with his snout. The egg topped over and shattered, which made the brown dragon recoil a bit in fear.

Levi let out a small chuckle when Eren did so and nudged his mate gently.

"Calm down, idiot..." he whispered to Eren, watching the baby dragon appear from the shattered egg.

Eren's heart swelled with joy as he looked at the newborn hatchling, a girl, trying to stand on her own. He nudged the baby dragon to her feet gently and watched her wobble around like a newborn foal.

The baby she-dragon, who was the spitting image of Eren, managed to walk around normally after a while as one of her siblings finally escaped his shell.

The male baby dragon was dark brown with black tinted scales. His underbelly was a lighter shade of brown with shoulder spikes shaped just like his father's. His horns were curved like Eren while the spike on his nose was like Levi's. The same dark grey scales that Eren had jetted out from over his eyes and cheeks as well while his brother, who hatched shortly after him, was the spitting image of his father.

The third one to hatch was another little girl, whose scales were a light shade of brown and or orangey color. She had small patches of light brown and orange around her body. Unlike her older siblings, she had two sets of horns: one from each parent. The small spike on her snout resembled Levi's as well as the row of spikes running down her spine. The spikes on the tip of her club-like tail looked like an ant's pinchers.

Levi smile grew a bit warmer watching the four hatchlings getting use to their new environment before it clicked into his head... There were four baby dragons... and Eren had laid five eggs.

_"Shit."_ Levi thought as his eyes fixed on the unmoving egg.

He glanced down at Eren, seeing the young dragon's sea-green eyes overcome with tears. His heart sunk to the floor as he lay next to his mate and nudged his snout gently.

"It happens sometimes... Eren... It's not your fault..." He whispered to him.

Eren sniffled. He started to bury his head into Levi's chest, when he heard it. His ears pricked up to the familiar sound of cracking. He raised his head from his spot and noticed a small crack in the remaining egg.

Levi blinked in slight surprise when the egg shell was chipped away at a bit more from the tiny creature inside before it rolled on its side and shattered. Eren couldn't help but chuckle a bit as the baby dragon's arrowhead tipped tail stuck up in mid-air for a moment.

The hatchling then flopped onto his back with his wings spread out on either side. He had the same dark brown black tinted scales as his first born brother. His underbelly, however, resembled his father's dark greyish look. He had little black dots, like Eren, that scattered across the border of the two colliding colors. His curved ram-like horn stopped at his cheeks almost to meet with the long spike on his snout.

Levi couldn't help but chuckle as well when the baby dragon gave a goofy looking grin at his parents with one little fang growing in already. The newest addition was smaller compared to his brothers and sisters but found his way around just fine. He wobbled about on his path, pursuing a bug that had decided to crawl by. He followed after the new tiny creature to the edge of the nest.

"Hey... Easy there tiger..." Levi cooed as he pulled the hatchling back into the center of the nest, "You can't wonder that far off yet..."

The small baby dragon sat and let his tail flop behind as he tilted his head up at his parents. His wide sea-green eyes stared up at his parents in slight confusion before he started wandering around again. He blinked when his siblings swarmed around him and started sniffing each other.

"You guys!"

All five of the newborn hatchlings froze when Hanji's voice echoed throughout the cave. Levi snorted in slight annoyance when he heard the witch race up to them and lashed his tail behind him. He smirked to himself when his tail came in contact with Hanji's body and sent her flying to the other end of the cave. However, it showed no effect because the glasses wearing witch got right back up and darted towards the nest again.

"Daww! They're so cute~!" Hanji cooed as she peeked into the nest and saw the five baby dragons staring at her.

"Hanji... I don't think you sh-" Eren cut himself off as Hanji climbed into the nest to join the newborns.

Levi rolled his eyes and snorted in response to Eren's comment. He knew Hanji didn't know the meaning of 'no'. He shook his head slightly as he scooped her up out of the nest and plopped her next to him. Hanji watched the four older babies tumble and play around before spotting the 'runt of the litter' messing around with Levi's tail. She giggled a bit at the sight of him batting and swiping at it like a cat.

"What's their names?" She asked.

Levi and Eren looked at each other for a moment. They talked about names a few times after finding out about Eren's unexpected and extremely short pregnancy. They looked at the five new additions for minute before Levi spoke.

"Well... The girl with the light colored scales is called... Petra..."

He couldn't help but choke on his words a bit. Everything about his second hatched daughter already reminded him of his close former comrade.

Eren nudged Levi's snout a bit before looking over at the girl who was the spitting image of him. He gulped slightly before he spoke.

"The little girl who looks like me... That's Carla."

He cracked a small smile as he watched her play with her brothers and sister.

"After your mother?" Levi asked, he had heard the story about his mate's mother once before and remembered she bared the same name.

Eren nodded in response before looking at the first hatched of his boys.

"And the boy with the dark brown and black scales over there is Samson." He continued.

Levi gently nudged Eren back in response.

"That little boy over there looks just like his daddy... A lil Levi junior! Cute!" Hanji said as she looked at the hatchling that looked exactly like her friend.

Levi shook his head and snorted in response. He glared down at the glasses wearing witch and rolled his eyes.

"That's Eric... Hanji." He muttered.

"Ohhh..." Hanji replied, looking down at the littlest of the newborns, "and what about this little boy?"

Levi and Eren both looked at each other for a moment before glancing down at the baby dragon. The older dragon couldn't help but smirk to himself as the hatchling chewed on his tail a bit.

"Jasper..." Eren answered, "His name is Jasper..."

"So Carla, Samson, Eric, Petra, and Jasper Ackerman..." Hanji repeated as she looked at the five new arrives with a smile, "I like it a lot... Congratulations you two."

Levi nodded in response. He blinked in slight surprise and looked down to see Jasper suddenly snuggle up against his soft underbelly.

"Daww! Someone's a daddy's boy..." Hanji cooed, "Well... I should get out of here now... I'm pretty sure Armin and Mikasa will come by soon enough."

Levi didn't really pay that much attention to his friend as she left. He smiled and scooped the little one up with his tail and cradled him close to his chest. He glanced over at Eren, who had Carla, Samson, and Eric nestled closely to him. He let a low gently growl ripple from deep within his throat as Petra wobbled over to her father. She stumbled right into his arms and curled up against him and her little brother.


	3. Visitors

"G...Gahah!"

Levi snorted impatiently, his ears pricking up at the sound of Eren's groans. His talons gripped and picked up the moss from outside the cave as he paced around the entrance. His scales pricked up on high alert.

"It's okay, Eren... You're doing great."

He heard Hanji say the same thing to the boy every few minutes inside the cave as he stood guarding his home from intruders. He couldn't help but worry for the brunet's well-being. Not just him but for the fifth and for his sake... Final egg he was laying as well.

Eren panted heavily as his talon tipped fingers scrapped against the cave wall, not being able to support his weight on his shaking knees any longer. His entire body was drenched in sweat as he pressed the back of his head against the cavern. His eyes squeezed shut and his fangs gritted together, groaning as he pushed again. He whimpered as he started to slid down the cave wall, with his tail being the only thing supporting him.

"It hurts H-Hanji..." He groaned as another wave of pain hit him.

"It's okay Eren... You're nearly there..." The witch cooed as she rubbed Eren's leg, hoping to calm him down a bit.

She understood Eren was extremely tired, having this be the fifth day in a row in unbelievable pain. She couldn't help but pity him... Even though Levi and Eren had a strong relationship and the boy was overjoyed about his unexpected pregnancy. He was just that... A boy... A teenage boy with dragon's blood coursing through his veins.

"Gah! Ahah!" Eren screamed in pain, his talons dug into the stone as he pushed hard.

"Breathe Eren. Just breathe... It'll all be over soon." Hanji whispered.

Eren's legs started to shake uncontrollably as his entire body started to tremble. He wanted it to be over... So badly. He wished he could turn into his full dragon form for this painful experience but that would only harm him and the remaining egg if he did so. He labored breaths shortly started to turn into shallow gasps for air after another wave hit him.

"Levi..." He croaked, nearly begging for his mate to be at his side.

"He's just outside guarding the cave." Hanji explained.

Eren shook his head as a tear slid down his cheek. He wanted Levi... He needed Levi besides him... He was getting scared as his vision slowly started to tunnel in on him.

"Levi!"

No sooner did he utter the older dragon's name that he felt a hand clasp around his own.

"I'm right here Eren..."

He gripped the other's hand tightly as his eyes went wide. He let out a loud scream as he gave all the strength he had left into one final push before blacking out...

Eren's wide sea-green eyes opened from his slumber and the eggs he laid months before where now five healthy little hatchlings. He smiled when he looked upon Levi's sleeping figure next to him. He was glad his mate was able to sleep without being disturbed by nightmares.

He let his long serpent-like tongue lick little Samson's face as the baby dragon slept in his arms.

He noted how Carla and Eric where also curled up together by his side while Petra remained in her father's arms fast asleep. His ears pricked up when he realized that the littlest of the hatchlings wasn't curled up with his sister. He looked around as his heart pricked with slight panic. "Jasper?" He called out rather quietly.

His head shot up when he heard the sound of tiny claws scraping against the cave floor. He looked around and spotted the little baby dragon perusing a beetle not that far away.

"Jasper... Come here." Eren called with a slight chuckle in his voice.

Jasper's head shot up and his ears pricked when he heard his mother call him. He bounded over to Eren's side and nuzzled his snout gently with his head, letting a mix of chirping and growling escape his throat.

Eren's gaze flickered over besides him when he felt Levi's weight shift. A small frown pulled on the corners of his mouth when he saw the older dragon shudder in his sleep.

"Levi... Levi...!" Eren called as he nudged his mate's snout.

Levi's metallic grey eyes snapped open from his nightmare. His head jolted up as his shook it clear of the all too vivid dream. He glanced over at the brown dragon for a split second before four scents approaching the cave washed over him. He set Petra down next to her siblings before standing up to meet the four unknown visitors.

"Hanji said they hatched the other day." Armin said as he led the three Knights through the thicket.

"Five of them, right?" Erwin asked, pushing a branch out of his way.

Armin nodded in reply as Jean clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth in a slight 'tch' sound.

"Five little Jaegers... Great..." Jean muttered.

"They had little bit of Levi in them too so they shouldn't be that bad. Hopefully..." Erwin said.

"Well I'm happy for them." Marco said following close behind Jean.

"I'd be careful though... Even if they are our friends... Their maternal instincts will probably kick in." Armin said when they started drawing closer to the cave.

The blond boy was proving correct when a pair of narrow metallic grey eyes glared at them from the darkest of the cave.

"Hey Levi..." Armin whispered as he waved at the pair of seemingly floating eyes.

Levi replied with blowing a puff of smoke from his nostrils and a deep growl.

Erwin took a step forward in front of the blond boy and met the dark gaze. Levi held it as his brow furrowed even more, a snarl ripped through the cave. Erwin was just about to take a step back when Jasper managed to get over his father's tail and run out to greet the new faces.

Levi rolled his eyes and relaxed his tense muscles, lowering his head to rest outside the cave entrance.

"Jasper..." He muttered as the baby dragon bounded up to Erwin and sniffed at him.

"That's one... Where's the... Shit!" Jean stopped himself from speaking just before he was swarmed by three little dragons.

"Oi Jaeger! Call off your kids!" He shouted through the frenzy of tiny claws and teeth.

Levi's ears pricked up when he heard Eren chuckle from inside the cave. He couldn't help but snicker as well especially with how much fun the three hatchlings were having with the horse face.

"Oi Eric, Carla, Samson." Levi said rather sternly, making the three babies freeze and looked up at their father, "Good job."

Marco chuckled lightly when he saw his friend getting playfully mauled by the three little dragons.

"Armin said there was five and I only see four." Marco said, looking around for the fifth baby dragon.

Levi opened his mouth to reply when the last little girl poked her head out over his tail. Her wide greenish grey eyes locked on the four unfamiliar people before looking up at her father. Levi met her gaze as his lips curved up into a rare smile.

"It's okay, Petra. They're friends of mama and papa." He whispered, nudging his little girl gently with his snout.

The little baby dragon chirped back and buried her head into her father's soft underbelly.

Erwin couldn't help but smile at seeing this. He had known Levi for a long time even though the older dragon had only just returned to the king's court months before. He was glad that Levi was finally at peace with Eren and their new children by his side. He raised an eyebrow when the older dragon let out a loud yawn and it was then that he noticed the dark circles under Levi's eyes. Just how many sleepless nights had he had?

"For God sake Levi... Let them in."

The sound of Eren's voice made Levi's head shoot up. The older dragon let out a small snort and nodded in reply as he led the three visitors inside. He scooped the three playful dragons up from their newly found toy and let Jean scurry into the cave.

"Hey Jaeger... Or is it Ackerman now..?" Jean said, raising an eyebrow.

Eren simply shrugged as he rose from his place in the nest. He felt pleasure and relief when his joints cracked as he stretched. He glanced over at Levi just in time to see the other dragon turn back to the entrance. He opened his mouth to call to him only to shut it, knowing there was no use reasoning with him. He let out a deep sigh, letting smoke escape his nostrils as he did.

Armin watched the way Eren reacted, knowing what was going on almost immediately.

"Levi's nightmares?" He asked.

Eren nodded slowly in response.

"Yeah... He can't even take a simple nap without having one..." He explained.

"The same one?" Armin asked, raising an eyebrow at his friend.

"Yup. Over and over again."

"What nightmares?" Erwin asked, growing rather curious about his old friend's predicament.

"It's a reoccurring nightmare... Something about a black dragon appearing from a storm and killing him... I'm afraid he's taking it rather seriously..." Eren replied quietly, "I've tried talking to him about it but it doesn't seem to work."

"I'll try talking to him." Erwin said and before anyone could reply, he stepped out of the cave.


	4. Stubbornness

Erwin crystal blue eyes flickered over to his old friend as he followed him out of the cave. He watched the older dragon shift into his familiar human form before sitting on a large rock by the riverside.

Levi rested his forehead in a hand as his shoulders slumped forward. A deep sigh escaped his slightly parted lips as he heard Erwin's footsteps coming closer to him from behind.

"If this about my nightmares... I can take care of it myself." He hissed slightly, "I know that's what Eren was talking about in there."

Erwin's jaw slacked open a bit when Levi interrupted him before he could even speak. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he marched to his friend's side. He could see Levi's eyelids were heavy from lack of sleep as he sat next to him. He let out his own sigh when the older dragon had turned his back to him.

"_Obviously_ you can't." Erwin started, "Can't you see Eren's worried about you?"

"Of course I can!" Levi hissed back, "But can't _you_ see that I don't want your help?"

Erwin glared at Levi for a second before the dragon continued.

"I can handle it without you! I don't need your damn help. Not yours. Not anyone's!"

That was the final straw for Erwin. He knew Levi was stubborn but this was getting ridiculous. He grabbed the other male by the collar of his shirt and yanked it forward so that he was nose-to-nose with Levi. His hard crystal blue gaze matched the other's narrow metallic grey one.

"I've gotten by on my own without you and I can continue that way." Levi spat in Erwin's face as a small growl ripped from deep within his throat.

"You may be able to continue that way but your family can't Levi." Erwin snapped back, not even flinching when he saw the other's fangs appear.

Levi's bangs cast a shadow over his eyes when he heard Erwin say this. He gripped Erwin's wrist tightly and spoke in an icy tone of voice as his talons dug into the blond man's wrist.

"Don't you think I know that? Do you take me as a fool, Erwin? Because I'm not...! These dreams are the reason why I have to protect my family... From everything..."

Erwin was relieved when he was granted access to his wrist once again. He glanced at Levi as he rubbed his wrist, checking the deep claw marks the dragon had left.

"I think it'd be best if you took your leave now, Erwin." Levi said as he remained perched on his rock.

Erwin nodded in agreement as he stood up, watching the dragon carefully as he walked towards the cave.

"He won't listen to me but... I did manage to find out one thing..." He stated, looking at Eren as he entered the cavern.

Eren looked up from watching the five hatchlings play around with Jean, Marco, and Armin when he heard this. His ears pricked up in curiosity as he faced Erwin, tilted his head a bit as he did.

"Find out what exactly?" He asked.

"Apparently these dreams seem so real to Levi that he thinks he has to protect the six of you from it." Erwin answered, "It worries me..."

Eren lowered his head somewhat and nodded in agreement.

"His maternal instincts are to blame for that..." He said with a slight chuckle, "I just hope they go away soon with Jasper, Petra, Samson, Carla, and Eric around..."

Erwin nodded in agreement before looking closely at the five little ones.

"Eric looks just like his father... Acts like him too by the looks of it..." He said, watching the little dark colored dragon sneaking around his siblings.

Eren smiled slightly as he watched the little mini version of his mate mess around with his siblings. He looked back to see Levi; his back to cave entrance with his head hanging down on his hands. The brown dragon's heart pricked with slight worry and sorrow. What was happening to his beloved dark colored dragon?


	5. Quality Time with Daddy

The month continued to slowly drag on... at least for Levi. His nightmares were growing worse and worse with each passing day. The only thing that was stopping him from going completely mental was-

"Papa?"

Levi looked down to meet his two daughters' wide eyed, begging gaze.

"Can you play with us, pleeeeease?" The two girls asked in sync.

Their gaze was practically scorching into Levi's scaly hide. He just couldn't say no to them, especially when they had their mother's green eyes.

"Okay okay. Let's all go outside so we don't wake mama up." Levi whispered to the five little ones before giving a quick glance at Eren's sleeping form not that far away.

He was glad his mate was able to sleep in peace, even if he wasn't. He swept the five little hatchlings outside the cave with his tail as a small smirk graced his lips.

"Alright... What do you guys wanna play?" He asked once they were out in the open.

"Tackle papa!" Eric called before his siblings and he jumped on the bigger dragon, biting Levi's armor like scales.

Levi couldn't help but smirk at his children's attempt to bring him down. He couldn't deny them their so called 'victory' so he decided to play along with them and fell to the ground.

"Oh you guys are too strong for me." He said, rather dramatically.

He closed his eyes and let his entire body go limp with his tongue sticking out of his mouth somewhat. He tried to refrain from snickering when he felt his children start to poke and prod at him.

"Papa... Papa...?" They asked, as they all nipped and tugged at their father.

Levi opened one of his eyes just a crack as a small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. He sprung up and swept the five hatchlings up with his tail, pulling them closer to him. He let a soft chuckle escape him as he wrapped an arm around them as they continued to squirm and giggle in his grip.

"You're silly papa." Petra chimed as she licked her father's cheek.

"Me? Silly? Oh no, my lil flower..." He replied, nudging his daughter playfully.

"Yeah Petra! Dad's dangerous... Like me." Eric boasted with his chest puffed out, seeming proud of his heritage.

Petra seemed to roll her eyes in sync with her father at that moment.

"That was a long time ago... Before you guys were even born. Who told you that anyway?" Levi asked, arching his brow a bit, wondering what kind of stories Eren was telling their kids.

"Aunt Hanji told us." Samson replied rather quickly, "She said that you were very brave."

Levi let a puff of smoke escape his nostrils as he sighed. He had told Hanji that he didn't want the five hatchlings to know about the past. It made him wonder what else Hanji had slipped out.

"She said that you protected mama too." Carla said, tilting her head a bit.

Levi couldn't help it when the corners of his mouth tugged upward into a small smirk. He knew that they wanted to hear the tale straight from the source.

"Alright then... Gather around my little ones and I'll tell you the story..." He said and sure enough the five little dragons curled up against their father with their ears pricked up, waiting for the tale to begin.

Eren pried an eye open as he heard Levi end the story about their battle. He wasn't really sleeping but he was glad the dark colored dragon was bonding with their children a bit more. He lifted his head up when Levi walked back into the cave with Eric, Samson, Petra, and Carla fast asleep on his back while Jasper slept on his father's head. The brown dragon chuckled a bit when he saw this as Levi plopped down next to him.

"Tired them out I see." He said with a small smile gracing his lips.

"I think they wore me out more than I worn them out..." Levi replied with a small yawn as he let the five napping hatchlings slid down into the warmth of the nest.

"They're growing up so fast..." Eren whispered before glancing over at Levi.

"Stop it... You're making me feel old." Levi replied, rolling his eyes a bit.

Eren couldn't help but chuckle at the comment. He nudged Levi's snout rather gently before the dark colored dragon chuckled lightly.

"The kids are asleep Eren..." Levi said rather teasingly.


	6. Explanation

Eren blushed through his scales as he tried to regain his breath. It had been their first time doing it as fully shifted dragon... In fact, it had been a long time since Levi and Eren had had some alone time together.

"L-Levi... Th-That was... I-If you get me pregnant again I'll kill you..." Eren muttered as he tried to regain his balance.

His shaky legs collapsed out from under him as he fell right next to Levi. The dark colored dragon curled his tail around Eren's as he pulled him close.

"Shhhhh. Its fine, love..." Levi whispered, "I'm sure you won't get pregnant this time."

Eren rolled his eyes as he rested his head on Levi's shoulders. He was glad to have his Levi back. He blinked when he felt his mate's scales stand on edge next to him.

"Levi? You okay?" He asked.

Levi glanced down at Eren. His narrow metallic gaze softened as looked into his mate's eyes. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he spoke.

"Of course I am." He lied, "Don't worry, Eren..."

Eren shook his head. He knew Levi was lying just by looking at the dark circles underneath his eyes. It pained him to see Levi in such a tired state.

"Stop it..." Eren muttered as he tried not to choke on his words, "Just stop it Levi... Stop lying to me. I know you're not alright... So please just be honest."

Levi blinked in surprise as he watched Eren's gaze start to practically beg him. He hated seeing Eren like this. He hated seeing Eren's sea-green eyes on the brink of tears. He nudged his mate's snout gently in an attempt to comfort him.

"Please... Tell me about your nightmare..." Eren whispered.

Levi swallowed hard as he gulped ever so slightly. He didn't really know how to explain it or how to even start. He looked away from the brown dragon's gaze, letting out a small puff of smoke escape his nostrils.

"Well... It's kinda... Hard to explain..." He muttered as he started to see the vivid images of his dreams flash back to him.

He could see the dream play out before him as he explained.

"I'm on top of this huge cliff in my human form... Caught in a storm... I can't see anything... The rain and wind whipping all around me. Then... I smell the scent of the blood and I hear you screaming my name. I run to where I hear you calling from and then..." He bit his lip, wanting to stop there but he knew he needed to explain the entire thing to Eren, "I get there and... And I see... I see you... Lying on the edge of the cliff, broken and bloody, with a shadowy figure hovering over you... this figure... just stares at me... I can feel it burning into my skin... To the point that I can't even move. Then... This figure turns into this huge black dragon. It's voice is screaming... Echoing in my head 'It's your fault' 'You should've been the one to die.' 'You'll be facing the block alone so enough.' Then... That's it... It dives down and catches me in its jaws and then I wake up..."

Levi glanced over at Eren, not surprised when he saw the brown dragon's eyes widened. Eren nudged his snout against his mate's, licking it an attempt to comfort him. A small smirk tugged on Levi's lips when Eren let out a tired yawn.

"Get some sleep, love..." He whispered to him.

Eren nodded with little to no protest as he rested his head on Levi's shoulders. His eyes fluttered shut before soft snoring replaced his talking.


	7. Nightmare or Reality?

Levi drifted off to sleep, only to be pulled back into the same nightmare. The same black menacing dragon on the same cliff... Only it was different in a way. Levi knew that he was on the part of his dream when he saw Eren... Only the scene he saw before him made him sick to his stomach.

Scratches covered the brown dragon's body; his stomach scraped along the rocky ground as the black dragon mounted him from behind.

Levi's lips peeled back into a menacing snarl at the sight of the unknown dragon violating his mate. He took a step forward only to hear the sound of chains rattling behind him. He glanced behind him to see his wrists and ankles cuffed and chained to the ground.

'Too bad you won't be alive when I actually do this.'

Levi's head snapped up when he heard the black dragon's voice echo through his head, which made him growl even louder.

"Just who the hell are you?!" He snarled.

'You'll find out soon enough, Levi...' The black dragon practically cackled as his gaze scorched into the other dragon's skin.

Levi started to pull and yank at the chains in desperation. His mind was so focused on saving Eren that he had forgotten that it was all just a dream. He was so focused that he didn't realize that the black dragon had crept up on him until he looked up to meet its dark swampy green eyes. Then everything went black...

….

Levi woke up with a start, his breath hitched in his throat as he jolted up where he laid. He shook his head to clear his mind, which was still a bit foggy from the vivid dream. Relaxing his tense muscles when he looked at Eren sleeping peacefully next to him, completely unharmed. He mentally cursed himself when he saw Eren stir in his sleep and open one eye.

"Levi? What's wrong?" He croaked.

Levi craned his neck to face the brown dragon as he rose from his slumber.

"Nightmare..." He muttered under his breath, not wanting to wake the children, "I think I'm just going to go out for a midnight soar... Just to clear my head..."

Eren nodded slowly before resting his head back on the nest's soft bedding.

"Alright... Just don't wake them up on your way out..." He whispered.

Levi nodded, rubbing his snout against Eren's gently before he crept out of the cave. He was careful of the five hatchlings that slept with them as he stepped out. He stretched his wings out, having obtained a new wing piece after the last one was destroyed in battle. He shook his head and with a strong flap of his wings, took off to the skies.

The dark colored dragon almost blended in with the dark grey clouds as he glided through the air. He took a deep breath, feeling free from his nightmares for once.

However, that freedom was short lived when he felt an unfamiliar presences overcome him. His heart picked up its pace as a shiver went up his spine. His blood started to run cold as he started to flap his wings aggressively, following the unsettling presences... right to the village of Storess, which was only a little ways east of Trost.

His breath hitched in his throat as his came to sudden halt when he started to fly over the village... Or what little was left of it. His metallic grey eyes widened at the sight he held before him... The village was engulfed in a tense mix of fire and smoke.

Before Levi could even think about what had happened to have cause such a tragedy, the criminal had made itself known.

There... in the black smoke was an outline of a wing, flapping to keep the creature steady in the air as it marveled at its deed.

"I'm still dreaming... That's it... It's just a dream..." He thought to himself as he caught the creature's emerald green gaze.

His entire body froze in fear as he finally recognized the haunting black dragon from his nightmares.

"It's not a dream... It's real..." Levi muttered to himself once he finally regained control of his body, "It's not real! That means... Eren!"

The black dragon had disappeared into thin air almost as soon as it appeared. Levi immediately turned tail and flew as fast as he could back home, fearing the worst.


	8. Who's to Blame?

Fear pricked in Levi's heart as he found himself drawing closer and closer to his home. He expected to be just like his nightmare at that point... Which made him feel sick just thinking about it. He landed in the small clearing around his cave. Regardless if the evil presences wasn't there anymore, his scales were still on end. He cautiously peeked his head into the cave and looked around. Everything looked alright... Until...

"Papa?"

Levi's ears pricked up at the sound of his youngest son's voice. He looked down to be met with a pair of huge but tired sea-green eyes looking up at him.

"Yes, my boy?" Levi whispered, lowering his head to meet Jasper's gaze.

"Where did you go?" The smallest of the hatchlings asked as he sat up.

"Daddy just went off on a midnight fly but I'm back now. I'm sorry if I scared you, Jasper." Levi replied, nudging his son gently with his snout.

"It's okay..." Jasper said with a yawn, "Can I fly?"

A small smirk graced Levi's lips, despite what he just saw, his children always made him smile. He laid down in the nest where the hatchlings slept, being careful not to wake anymore of them.

"You're getting to that age... Don't worry you'll be flying soon enough." Levi whispered as Jasper scrambled over to curl up with his father.

"Tomorrow?" Jasper piped up.

"Maybe..." Levi answered before another yawn escaped the baby dragon's mouth, "But right now... You should be asleep."

Jasper's grayish-green eyes became half lidded as he nodded in agreement. He curled up, hugging his tail close to his body as he slowly fell asleep next to his father.

Levi rose early the next morning to hunt for his family, like his always did.

It was a little different this time however, as he wanted to find out if the village was in fact burnt down the night before. He soared overhead as he saw that his 'daydream' was actually true. He clutched the dead deer close to his chest as he flew back home. Little did he know that he had some unexpected visitors waiting for him to return.

"I'm home." Levi called as he landed outside the cave's entrance, "Ere-"

He cut himself off, dropping the dead deer as his jaw slacked open when he saw Erwin and three other knights with his family.

"Erwin." He said, rather surprised of the other's sudden appearance.

"Levi. We need talk."

Levi's blood started to run cold. He didn't like the stern, stone cold serious tone Erwin used and the way his crystal blue eyes seemed to stare straight into his soul wasn't helping at all. He let out a deep, calming sigh as he stood up straight, nodding in reply. He shifted into his human form and followed after Erwin as he walked outside.

"Alright... Spit it out Erwin." Levi said once he was sure they were out of earshot.

"Eren told me you went out the other night for a midnight fly." Erwin started, "Near Stonress?"

"Yeah. And?" Levi asked, raising an eyebrow at the blond haired man.

Fear pricked at his heart as he spoke when he finally realized why they could be at his home.

"It was burnt to a crisp by the time I got there. You don't actually think I did it, Erwin?" Levi hissed, narrowing his gaze at the man before him.

"I personally don't think you did it. I know you wouldn't such a thing." Erwin started, "However... The evidences and just plain logic aren't in your favor at this point."

"What do you mean?" Levi asked, trying to remain as calm as he possibly could as he took in the information given to him.

"You're the only black dragon in the realm... Unless you could think of another."

Levi gulped as his mind backtracked to when he saw the black dragon from his nightmares appear in the smoke of the tragedy. His blood turned ice cold at the mere thought. He couldn't seem to stop himself as two words slipped from his lips.

"The nightmare."

Erwin quirked an eyebrow when Levi mentioned his nightmare, though he was surprised that his old friend was still having them after all this time.

"Heard me out Erwin. Please... The dragon from my nightmares... I don't know how it did this but... It burnt down Stotress..." Levi said, his voice cracked a bit as he spoke with his gaze locked on Erwin's, "I saw it burn down Stotress with my own two eyes."

Erwin's eyebrows furrowed a bit as he heard Levi, seeing the expression in the dragon's face change from calm to completely desperate. He knew about Levi's nightmares and how bad they were but he also knew how the dreams were affecting him. Despite this, he knew Levi and trusted him with his life. He knew there was no way Levi would do such a thing however, with the way he was acting now a days it was hard to tell.

"I know I sound crazy but you have to believe me, Erwin." Levi's voice cracked as he practically begging Erwin to trust him, "I need to stay here and protect my family... Please Erwin. They're not safe."

"I understand you want to protect your family but the king requests a hearing to be held-"

"It wasn't me. It was never me." Levi hissed, cutting Erwin off.

"I understand that and I believe you Levi but still we can never be too safe." Erwin said, gripping Levi by the shoulders as he looked at him, "You either come with us willingly or by force."

Levi gulped as he looked at Erwin before glancing back at the cave's entrance. He could see five little pairs of eyes staring at him. His body shuddered a bit as he turned back to face Erwin.

"You know I wouldn't do anything like that." Levi muttered.

Erwin nodded in agreement, biting on his lower lip a bit before he spoke again.

"Of course I know that but it's under the King's request... There's nothing I can do."

Levi shuddered slightly as he let out a shaky sigh. He nodded slowly before his gaze flickered back to his children.

"Alright. I'll go... Just please let me say goodbye." He said before turning on his heel to face the entrance of the cave.

Levi tried his best to swallow the lump that formed in his throat as he kneeled down before the five hatchlings tackled him. He sat up almost immediately and looked at them.

"Listen all of you... Daddy's going to be away from a while so can you do me a favor and watch out for your mama?" He asked, forcing a small smirk to appear on his lips.

The hatchlings all nodded before Petra looked up at Erwin and the two other guards.

"Where are you going, papa? When will you be back?" She asked, before her other siblings started to agree with her.

Levi gulped a bit before hugging the five close. He let out a deep sigh through his nose and shook his head.

"I'm going to the castle. The king needs me and I'm not sure when I'll be back... But I will be back soon. I promise." Levi said before bringing himself to his feet.

He turned on his heel before his gaze locked on Eren's for a second. He followed after Erwin and the two knights before he saw one of them pull out a pair of handcuffs.

"Those aren't necessary." He said rather bluntly, gritting his teeth together as he walked pass the two to meet up with Erwin.

"I don't want my family to see me carried off like some common criminal..." Levi whispered, mostly to himself as he walked besides Erwin.


	9. Cant Look Him In The Eyes

They didn't even bother with putting Levi in a cell upon their arrival with Erwin's explanation of wanting to end the problem immediately. However, under the King's request, Levi was handcuffed and brought before the royal court.

Levi still had the cloak given to him the day he was reinstated into the knighthood draped over his shoulders. Despite having not been in his human form since the day his chicks hatched, he was glad he was dressed for the occasion. He held his head high when they entered, despite people yelling and cursing at him from both sides. He knew what he saw and he knew he wasn't the one at fault. The kingdom however, really did believe he was the cause of it.

When he was brought to the center of the court, he could see the familiar faces of Eren's old friends out of the corner of his eye. He could tell by the look on their faces, that they were unsure what to the think. Hell! Even a little piece inside of him was unsure what to think as well. Could it all have been an illusion? Could he have really done that?

"Sir Levi... Do you know why you were brought before the court today?" The king asked from his usual place on the high stand.

"Yes I do your majesty." Levi answered rather clearly with his metallic grey gaze locked on the king's.

"Then you realize what the penalty is for committing such a crime."

Levi's mouth hung open in astonishment when the king spoke again. They were automatically charging him for the crime. What sort of trial was he in?

"With all due respect your majesty." He replied with a slight hiss of annoyance in his voice, "Why are you assuming that it was m-"

"Are you implying that there's another ash-colored dragon with your particular markings running around?" The king countered, cutting him off.

"That's EXACTLY what I'm saying!" Levi snapped, his horns poking out of raven-black hair a bit as he hands balled up into fists at his side.

"Levi..."

Levi's eyes went wide and his blood ran cold. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as his gaze slowly flickered over to the sound of Eren's voice.

"W-wasn't he with the kids when I left?" Levi thought as his gaze locked on his mate's, "He probably left them with Hanji before flying over here..."

It seemed as if the whole courtroom fell completely silent at that point. As if everyone was waiting for one of the dragons to speak up again.

"Th-These nightmares are doing something to you... I know you're trying to hide them for the kids' sake and you act like nothing's wrong but..."

"Eren! Please... I'm not insane. Yes these dreams are something but... But I'm not crazy..." Levi practically pleaded as his gaze locked on Eren's, searching for a hint of understanding in his mate's eyes.

"Then what do they mean...? If you can… Then please tell me, Levi!" Eren asked, his eyes clearly showing that he was hurting.

Levi gulped as he tried to swallow the lump that was slowly forming in his throat. He broke his eye-to-eye contact with his mate to look at the floor of the courtroom. He knew he had explained these dreams to Erwin, Eren, and Hanji millions of times... But it was hard to admit in front of an entire court that he just had a gut feeling that something bad was going to happen.

"Speak Ackerman!" Pyxis ordered from his placed.

"I cannot explain what these dreams mean. These nightmares are so vivid that it dulls my senses..." Levi answered truthfully as his gaze locked in the king's.

"There! He said it!"

"These dreams are making him crazy!"

"He can't be trusted!"

Levi's gaze flickered all around as the people in the crowd tried to talk over one another. His jaw clenched; he was getting extremely frustrated at this point. Why couldn't anyone see that something was going to happen? Was it just him? Was he really crazy?

"Shut up! Everyone just **Shut Up**!" He roared, a few sparks rolling from his mouth as he did.

The whole courtroom suddenly went quiet, slightly terrified of the dragon's sudden outburst. Levi could see Eren out of the corner of his eye. He knew the brown dragon was surprised as well, having near raised his voice like that at all.

"Take him to the dungeon." The king final spoke, "Make sure he has no way of escape and is chained up."

Levi tried to resist as three guards came up to him from behind, yanking on the chains that attached to his cuffs and collar.

"Eren... Eren! Please listen... You have to listen... I'm not crazy. You know I'm not crazy. I was just protecting our family! You _**KNOW**_ I wouldn't do anything like this!" He begged as he managed to pull the guards forward to stand in front of Eren. He looked straight into his mate's eyes and saw nothing but hurt and sorrow in them.

"I don't even know who you are anymore..."

Those eight words shook Levi to his very core. He froze where he stood and just stared in disbelief at his mate, not caring that the guards were dragging him away. He felt like his heart had shattered into a million pieces and scattered all across the courtroom floor. His body went completely numb at that point as the emotion pain slowly twisted into physical pain. His chest painful constricted around his lungs; slowly limiting his breathing to small painful breaths.

"Wait!"

Levi's head slumped down to lock on the courtroom floor; his inky black bangs cast a shadow over his metallic grey gaze as Erwin spoke up.

"The possibility of another dragon could be true... I propose that we keep Levi in prison for a short time and if the burnings continue... Then it wasn't him."

The whole court fell silent as the king pondered in his head for a while before finally voicing his opinion.

"I will allow that however, if nothing happens within that time he shall be put to death."

Levi's eyes went wide as the king's statement. His already shattered heart dropped. He knew that if this new proposal didn't work in his favor... He'll never see his children again.

He knew somewhere deep down that Eren was devastated, having already seen him die once before. He didn't look up however... He didn't fight back and didn't protest. He let the guards drag him away to the darkness of the dungeon.

Eren watched from where he stood, immediately regretting what he said. His heart was slowly and painfully cracking in half as he watched the guards drag away a broken version of his mate.


	10. Divided By Cell Bars

Levi stared at the dark cobble stone walls of his cell. The cold water made his ears perk up every time it would drop onto the floor. It remained him a bit of his cave home back in Trost, with the exception of the iron bars and chains around his wrist and neck.

_"I don't even know who you are anymore..."_

Eren's words still echoed in Levi's head as he laid on the cold hard floor of his cell. He clutched his cape closer to his body for warmth as he chuckled. Those words made Levi's sanity slip in between his hands completely. If Eren thought he was a mad man as well then he planned on acting the part.

His eyes perked up at the sound of the prison door slowly creak open and closed. The sound of clunking boots coming closer however, didn't making the older dragon look up.

"Levi... Levi... I'm so sorry."

Levi didn't even look up when he heard Eren's voice on the other side of the bars.

"You don't even know who I am anymore... Remember? How can you call me Levi if you _don't even know_?" Levi hissed, which made his heart ache a bit inside.

Eren paused for a moment. He looked down at his boots and gulped. His heart ached as his chest constricted around his lungs a bit, hearing his own words coming to bite him in the butt.

"I'm sorry about that... I was scared... I still am... What's happening to you? Where's my Levi?" Eren muttered as he gripped the iron bars. He slid down to his knees in front of Levi's shadowy figure.

"I told you the truth. I told the court the truth. I don't know! That damn black dragon-"

"That dragon isn't real! It's from a nightmare!" Eren retorted, cutting Levi off.

"It is real! It is! I saw it with my own eyes!" Levi hissed back, "Why don't you believe me?!"

He honestly couldn't even tell what was fake and what was real anymore. The dreams had nestled their way deep into his head to the point he even doubted himself.

"Levi please!" Eren shouted, "If you confess now they won't execute you."

"So you want me to lie? You want to teach our children it's better to lie than to stand up for what you believe in? That it's better to lie than to face the consequences?" Levi hissed, "The truth is... I don't even know if I'm innocence or not..."

"Levi..."

Eren's gaze flickered down to the ground before looking back up, locking his gaze on his mate's.

"I don't know what's going on Eren... I see things from my nightmares that no one else does in the real world. I don't know if my madness is taking control of my body..." Levi whispered, "Heh, or if my sanity getting washed away by this sudden flood of madness and vivid nightmares."

Eren just stared wide eyed at Levi. Levi's words were complete poetry if it wasn't for the darkness surrounding them. He wanted to help... He needed to help his mate in any way he could.

"Levi... I don't know if this will help or not but... I brought you something..." Eren started as he dug his hand into his travel pouch, "Here..."

The brunet sipped his arm in between the iron bars and held Levi's hand gently, sipping the item into the other's hand.

Levi's eyes went wide as he felt the hard but rough texture of wood brush up against his hand. He opened his palm up and saw his hand-carved dragon flute... The same flute he played for Eren a little over a year ago when they first met.

Eren's eyes glistened with a hint of hope when Levi's expression changed once the flute was in his grasp. He cracked a small smile at him, hoping to free his mate's tormented soul from its hellish prison of madness.

"Play." He pleaded, trying to hide the shakiness in his voice, "Please play Levi..."

Levi ignored Eren's request for a second as his gaze locked on his mate's.

"What are you going to tell them?" He asked, "The kids...?"

Eren chewed on the inside of his cheek and looked away for a second. He gulped slightly as he thought. He hadn't about it... They were too young to understand the actually meaning behind it but he did know that they would be upset regardless and would want an explanation.

"Listen... Tell them that I'll gone for a few days... Tell them that Uncle Erwin and Aunt Hanji will help take care of them." Levi finally spoke up after a short period of silences came between the two, "Just don't tell them about what might happen..."

Eren nodded and pressed his forehead up against the cell. He squeezed Levi's hand tightly as he felt unknown tears slip down his face. A sudden lump became caught in his throat as he felt Levi's free hand brush up against his cheek and his thumb grazed underneath his eye. He hugged Levi as best he could with the bars that stood in between them. The younger dragon's body shuddered a bit when he felt Levi's lips brush up against his own before they clashed together.

"Don't worry about me, Eren... You just worry about you and the kids, okay?" Levi pleaded, once they broke apart.

Eren simply nodded in response as he looked down at the ground. His ears perked up a bit as the door suddenly creaked open. He was relieved to have Erwin's scent touch his nose.

"Hey look at me..." Levi said before he tilted his mate's chin up to face him, "Eren look at me... Everything will be fine, okay? Trust me please..."

Eren nodded as he gave his mate a final kiss goodbye. He stood up and brushed off the dirt and muck from his pants. He walked down the dark hallway back to the doorway where Erwin stood waiting for him.

"Any luck?" Erwin asked in a low tone of voice.

"Some but... I wouldn't complain if I heard music coming from down here tonight." Eren replied with a small smile on his lips before he walked passed the blonde knight.


End file.
